Museum History
Association History

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History of the Museum

The Saratoga Museum is housed in the Saratoga 1915 Union Pacific depot with the original dispatch room, and we have an extensive collection of Union Pacific memorabilia.

The museum was dedicated on July 26, 1980.

In 1982, Union Pacific donated a caboose for exhibition. In 1992, Union Pacific donated an 85,000 pound
refrigerated boxcar. The caboose and boxcar are located
on the Museum grounds.

For the last 26 years, the museum has grown and acquired many interesting artifacts from our local area and around the state. 

We have hosted many musical guests, such as the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Queen City Jazz Band, and the Western Arts Trio, to name a few.

The Museum sponsors Annual Treks to places of historical value, like Fort Steele, Fort Halleck, and many ranch tours.

Many of our programs are produced in cooperation with the Wyoming Arts Council, The Wyoming Council for the Humanities and the Carbon County Visitors Council.

History of the
Saratoga Historical & Cultural Association

In the early days the town of Saratoga was named Warm Springs, but the name was changed in 1886. "Saratoga" the Indian word signifies "place of miraculous water in rock".

In the Spring of 1975, a number of local citizens of Saratoga were expressing interest in establishing a museum for the preservation of the local artifacts from the settling of the North Platte Valley. At the March meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, the idea of purchasing the Hotel Wolf was discussed. Plans discussed were to make the upper stories into a museum, with the Chamber offices and tourist center on the ground floor. One thing that was agreed upon...that a separate entity should be responsible for the project and in no way involve the Chamber of Commerce organization.

At the same time in 1975, Mimi Gilman was striving to develop an Arts Council group to sponsor various performing groups. On May 21, 1975, the Saratoga Historical and Cultural Association, Inc. officially came into being when 27 members signed the Articles of Incorporation. Directors elected were President - Elva Evans; Vice President - Robert Randall; Secretary - Debbie Chastain; Treasurer - Mimi Gilman; and Dan Simmons, Dorothy Rowland and Don Erickson served as board members.

In the following year an Arts Council Committee was formed under the sponsorship of the Association. The next several years, the Saratoga Historical and Cultural Association (SH&CA), in conjunction with the Arts Council committee sponsored performances of the Denver Symphony Orchestra, Magic Globe Players, Utah Symphony Orchestra, Queen City Jazz Bank, W.C. Fields Film Festival, University of Wyoming Symphonic Bank, recitals by Mary Jo Tynon (operatic singer), Western Arts Trio, Wyoming Chamber Duo, Wyoming Chamber Orchestra, Albuquerque Dance Theater, University of Wyoming Jazz Trio, Texas Opera Theatre, Kottman String Ensemble and Flamenco dancer, Maria Benitez.

 In 1978, the Union Pacific Railroad decided to abandon its local Depot, and offered it to the Association, (as it was referred to in those years). The town of Saratoga gave a free 50-year lease on a parcel of land across from Shively Airport. On May 21, 1979, the Depot was moved at at cost of $8,000 to its present location.

Mike Glode was in charge of fund-raising and raised over $34,000. One very successful fundraiser was -"Over the Hump" fund--a one time flat $250 (or more) donation per person. A large stack of cards had been left at the depot, proclaiming "DO NOT HUMP", which was train lingo for 'don't bang cars into each other'. Contributors were rewarded with their own "HUMP" sign. The list of contributors is on a plaque at the museum.

Another fund was the Old Baldy Friends...an annual contribution of $100 was the required minimum donation.

It was estimated $2,000 was needed for foundation work, flooring, etc. The Union Pacific Foundation contributed $2,500 towards the remodeling and a $900 fund for the paint.

The Museum planned to open to the public on Memorial Day, 1980, but was not operational until the dedication on July 26 of that year. The dedication was part of the first Fireside Folk Festival, which was held on the museum grounds. Over 1,000 people attended and participated in the games. Exhibitors were charged $5 per table for presentation of their crafts. The Rev. Oral Roberts was a guest of honor --even though part of the festivities was his arrest and incarceration (for a short time only as a fundraiser). The Festival raised $8,000 for the museum.
In January 1981, the Gates Foundation of Denver, CO granted funding for additional landscaping.

1980 - Elva Evans stepped down as president of the
Board of Directors and took over as museum curator.
For two years she directed the affairs of the museum as a volunteer.
Deborah B. Chastain replaced Elva as president of the board.

1981 - the Depot Docents, who hosted the museum and helped with the creation of the exhibits, elected officers. The first "engineer" (later referred to as president) was Babe Reynders. At about the same time, the SH&CA board of directors voted to add a representative from the Docent group and the Arts Council to the main board.

The Katherine Bakeless Nason Archaeology Exhibit was completed, thanks to Ada Jackson, Don Gilman and the Nason family. The second Fireside Folk Fair was held on the museum grounds July 25. This was the occasion of the World's First Atlatl Contest, organized by Rod Laird and a fish fry reminiscent of the old days in Saratoga. The Arts Council sponsored the Chautauqua Festival, which was busy reliving history from July 21-26, 1981.

1982 - The Union Pacific donated one of its cabooses to the Association. Again, monies were raised to refurbish the seats and other items. The third Fireside Fold Festival was moved to Highland Park (later named Kathy Glode Park) and extended to three days of activities: a 10-K race, Pony Express race, cutting horse contest, $15 craft booths, Grand Encampment Opera House melodrama, a disco dance, a parade, games, and an auction to benefit the library. The Lions Club recreated the historic fish fry.

1983 - Mimi Gilman, serving as director of the Arts Council, sponsored the performance of the University of Wyoming Chamber Orchestra and the Western Arts Trio. Proceeds were used to purchase a grand piano for Saratoga.

A ranch tour sponsored by the Historical Association visited Ryan, Elk Hollow, Brush Creek and 1 Bar Eleven Ranches. The Folk Festival was renamed "Craft Fair and Trout Fry" and held July 16 & 17 in Highland Park.

Camp Paleo was established by the Cherokee Trail Archeology Chapter on a bluff overlooking the Cedar Creek Ranch meadows and the North Platte River. Debbie Chastain and Ada Jackson were hosts to visiting aerologists. The Atlatl contests were once again very popular, as was the Miss Carbon County contest.

1984 - The Saratoga Centennial was celebrated with festivities July 15-21, 1984. The celebration included a mustache judging, a parade with over 50 entries, and the Craft Fair (moved to Veteran's Island). The Lions did their traditional fish fry and the Fourth Annual World Open Atlatl Shoot was held across from the Saratoga Inn. Camp Paleo was open for flint knapping and exchange for archaeology information, with over 117 attending. Once gain, the Chautauqua workshops were open with performances at the Range theater in the evenings. Dedicated of the site of Saratoga's first building was held at the Inn, with Dick Perue. The Range theater also had a Hootenanny for three performances, with about 30 acts participating.

July 18, the Saratoga Centennial Historic Fashion Show & Luncheon was held at the Old Baldy club. Sponsored by the SH&CA, the committed consisted of Gay Day Alcorn, Debbie Chastain, Susan Speer, and Gertrude Herold. Local residents modeled the clothes from private collections, representing the 1850s to the 1920s. The SH&CA annual trek August 3 and 4 began at the France Presbyterian Church, which is on the Historic National Register, Carbon County Museum, Territorial Prison, and Ferris Mansion. The following day, the Saratoga and Encampment museums and Ft. Halleck were visited. Later in August, the Up With People performance was sponsored by the Arts Council.

1985 - The 10th Anniversary of the the Saratoga Historical and Cultural Association was celebrated with an open house at the museum.  The SH&CA sponsored the Community Trout Fry, Crafts Fair and Flea Market on Veterans Island.
Attendance was down according to Art Zeiger, who had been responsible for frying the fish for the previous six years. The mines were shutting down and the boom was over for the town of Saratoga.
Another Hootenanny, with three performances, was sponsored by the Association and the Cemetery Board. The Atlatl Press was established, with its first publication - Rod Laird's "How to Make an Atlatl."

1986 - The seventh annual Folk Fair and Old Time Trout Fry was held on Veterans Island, the sixth annual Work Open Atlatl Contest and Camp Paleo were the highlight of the year. Once again,  The board felt that a full-time director was essential, but did not have the funds to support the job.

1987 - Carbon County School District #2 Recreation Board agreed to help the SH&CA with funds for a full-time director.
Sally Bocott was named "Volunteer of the Year". SH&CA president, Dick Perue, presented Susan Speer the "President's Award; for "outstanding board member". The Trout Fry and Craft Fair was held on Veterans Island. The SH&CA sponsored a trek to South Spring Creek along the route of the Cherokee Trail.

1988 - The SH&CA sponsored the Ninth Annual Folk Fair & Old Time Trout Fry. Raffle Tickets were sold for $1 each for the Wyoming Centennial Quilt. Peter and Ginny Storer opened their home, RiverBend, for tours at $5 for non-members and $3 for members...over $4,000 was raised. The Fine Arts Committee sponsored a performance of the University of Wyoming Collegiate Chorale. Emphasis on works of local artists were encouraged, with an "artist of the month". Sophia Swanson was honored by the SH&CA for here contributions to the museum. Gay Day Alcorn completed her history of the Hood House, which had been restored by Debbie Chastain.
Previously, Gay had published "Tough Country", a comprehensive history of the Platte Valley.
The Charles Wiant family donated an old log cabin which houses the Vern Vivian blacksmith collection. The members of the board, under the direction of Art Zeiger, replaced the chinking. Henry Flohr completed an 1/8 scale model of a Concord Stage Coach...all hand made ourt of walnut, with brass fittings, and loaned it for display.

1989 - The SH&CA sponsored the annual Trek in June visiting the Wallis Ranch, the ZN Ranch, the TA Ranch and the A Bar One Ranch, all along the Overland Trail.

The Saratoga and Encampment Family History edition was published by Portfolio Publishing Company and is available for sale in our gift shop. (Contact the museum director to order a copy.)

1990 - The State of Wyoming's Centennial and the 75th anniversary of the fish hatchery.  The Lions Club hosted a fish fry at Veterans Island. A parade started in the center of town and ended at the dedication of the Kathy Glode Centennial Park.

The day began with a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Boy Scouts and ended with a buffalo roast with entertainment by the Arapahoe and Shoshoni dancers. The museum was involved in selling tickets for the Centennial train rides, provided by the Carbon County Centennial committee. The Platte Valley Players presented a melodrama "Lumber Jacks and Wedding Belles".

Peter Storer and Richard Buff located and installed old barn wood to create the "Homesteader's Cabin' display. John Gilman was commissioned to paint scenes out the "windows". Debbie Chastain had an old sheepherder's wagon restored and donated to the museum.

1991 - For the annual meeting of the SH&CA, "Pictures, Songs, and Stories of the American Cowboy' was presented by Phil Janowsky, a renowned cowboy poet and balladeer.

1992 - An 85,000 pound boxcar was donated to the SH&CA by the Union Pacific Railroad. Two tow trucks and a winch truck with a flatbed were used in the ten hour endeavor to move the boxcar. The car was a "refer" - a refrigerated boxcar. It was positioned on rails that had been previously installed with great effort in the rear of the depot. At the same time, the bell from the Baggs School was relocated to the museum.

David Cass presented the First SH&CA Architectural Award to Gary Stevenson, editor of the Saratoga Sun. Rod Laird published "Window in Time" with illustrations by John Gilman. Five docents were awarded "Gold Spikes" for their contribution to the museum: Lois Flohr, Helen Swanson, Ruth Doherty, Sophia Swanson and Susan Speer. A major fund-raiser was a "Next to New" clothing sale, which was held in the boxcar.

1993 - The annual Trek followed the Overland Trail to Sulpher Springs, and attracted over 75 participants. The museum was visited by 2,230 people representing 49 states and 11 foreign countries. Construction began on the "Pavilion", a 40-foot octagon bandstand donated by the George B. Storer Foundation. The pavilion was designed by Rick Morton of Boulder, CO, and constructed by Speigelberg Lumber of Laramie, WY. Neergaard Masonry did the stone work and John Anderson created the color design.

1994 - The pavilion was dedicated on Friday, July 1. The University of Wyoming Brass Quintet performed and the Saratoga Community Choir sang. Speeches and ribbon-cutting, free ice cream cones, and balloons...all were festive. The pavilion was also used by the Platte Valley Arts Council (newly formed and not related to SH&CA) for performances during the July 4 weekend.

The trek to Ft. Steele was highlighted by the commentary of Dr. Mark E. Miller, Wyoming's State Archaeologist. The old town of Benton and the historic Savage Ranch were also visited. The museum had over 3,000 visitors during this season. The caboose and boxcar were freshly painted, the depot spruced up and new landscaping with lots of flowers presented a welcome sight to the traveler.

To be continued...